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DIY Stained Wooden 5”x5” Flower Press

Updated: Jul 7

Looking to add a little fun to your summer? Try making a low cost flower press! You can forage for your own flowers and use these for an array of arts and crafts. You can make personalized cards, jewelry, and floral art work. How fun!



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Some history / fun facts:

  1. Pressed flowers in the form of floral collars, and other botanicals were found in the tombs of Egypt, specifically Tutenkhaum's.

  2. In Japan flower pressing is an art form called "Oshibana". 16th century Samurai would practice art pressing as a form of patience, and connection to nature.

  3. In 1983 The Pressed Flower Guild was formed, in order to try to recognize pressed flower art around the world. Joyce Fenton & Bill Edwardes (came up with the idea of framing the art).

  4. Blotting paper, handmade paper, Japanese paper, or marbled paper were used and are still used to create pressed flowers.

  5. Sometimes watercolor is applied to the background paper before applying the flowers to be pressed.

  6. You can dry flowers out before pressing with new inventions such as silica sand. This is good especially for roses or thicker flowers

  7. Vacuum sealing frames are used to lock in the flowers colors.

  8. Most flowers can be pressed and dry within 1-2 weeks



Shopping List: Amazon Links


5x5 0.1” wood blanks - https://amzn.to/40sjJ0z

4 1/4” washers - https://amzn.to/44l9Dks

4 1/4” by 3” bolts - https://amzn.to/44l9Dks

4 1/4” lock nuts - https://amzn.to/44l9Dks

Water based stain - Lowes or Home Depot - or use an old deck stain

Paint brush - Acrylic set with a larger brush will work - https://amzn.to/46vW2rH

1/4” drill bit for drilling holes - OR same size as your washer bolts and lock nuts

Blotting Paper - https://amzn.to/4nvpS5L

Cardboard - Use a old box - Cut to size of wood in a hexagon form (Cricut can do this with a deep point blade or cut out with scissors)


Steps:


  1. Stack 4 5x5 wood squares together and clamp down to a work bench. Unless you want to drill through your table, add a thick chunk of wood underneath or two 2x4's to prop your work.

  2. Drill 4 holes in the corners, leaving room for the wing bolt to be able to swing around without going over the edge.

    1. Video:

      Drilling Flower Press Holes

  3. Glue two pieces together so you have two sides to your flower press. You can definitely order wood that is closer to a 1/4" thick if you want to skip this step.

  4. Wait at least 4 hours for the wood glue to set, then you can get to painting (gently)

  5. Get our your acrylic paint brush and stain, (WE ARE ONLY PAINTING TOP AND BOTTOM) use swiping motions from top to bottom to keep smears or imperfections. Don't forget to wipe your edges with the brush and not to get onto the inside of the press.

    1. Video:

      Staining Flower Press

  6. Wait about an hour for stain to dry - at this point you can add a stencil, pyrography, wood burning art, or laser art to your 5x5 wood.

  7. Get out your cardboard and blotting paper. We are going to cut a hexagon shape either with scissors or your cricut machine (deep point blade) You want to make the outer edges to the 5x5 mark. See image for example.

  8. Use this Hexagon as a template to cut out your blotting paper. The blotting paper will also be in the form of a hexagon due to the size of the flower press. You will want about 3 pieces of hexagon cardboard to help press between flowers. Try to make 3 hexagon cardboard and add 5-8 sheets of blotting paper.

    1. Variations - you can use a flower press that uses 1/2 size standard printer paper and you won't have to cut hexagons. This is more for aesthetics and gifting.

      Flower Press Results - 1 Week
      Flower Press Results - 1 Week

  9. There you go! Get out your hardware - wingnuts / bolts / washers and assemble them with the heads on the table and the screws pointing up through your four holes. Arrange the washer over the bolt, then screw on your wingnut.


  10. Happy Flower Pressing!


How to use a flower press: DIY - How to Use a Flower Press


Little out of your budget but you still want to try one out? Order handmade press from DIY With Chelsea shop: ON SALE 7/7-7/8 FOR ONLY $22.00 - Shipping FREE with code: FREESHIP




~DIY With Chelsea 7.7.2025

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